The Ukrainian and the Briton will fight for all the heavyweight division belts.
On September 29, it became known that the world champion according to WBO, WBA, IBO and IBF Oleksandr Usyk and WBC title holder Tyson Fury have signed a contract to fight for the absolute heavyweight title.
The long-awaited unification match will take place on February 17, 2024 in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia).
The fight between the Ukrainian and the Briton was planned to take place on December 23, 2023, but it was postponed due to the injury that the “Gypsy King” received in a fight against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou on October 28 in Saudi Arabia. The Briton was knocked down, but by a split decision he defeated the Cameroonian-French MMA fighter, for whom it was his debut in boxing.
The winner of the Usyk-Fury fight will forever inscribe his name in boxing history, because he will become the first absolute world champion in the heavyweight division in the 21st century.
The last “absolute” in heavyweight was the legendary Briton Lennox Lewis, who in 1999 defeated the American Evander Holyfield in a unification bout. Back then, the WBA, WBC and IBF titles were at stake. The WBO belt was recognized as equal in 2007, so the winner of the fight between Usyk and Fury will become the first-ever “absolute” in heavyweight with four major titles.
Bookmakers are already accepting bets on the fight between the Ukrainian and the British for the absolute championship.
Bookmakers' forecasts for the Usyk-Fury fight
Bookmakers consider the “Gypsy King” to be the favorite for the upcoming fight. You can bet on Fury's victory with odds of 1.56. Usik’s winnings are 2.50.
A draw, as the least likely result in boxing, is estimated at odds of 21.00.
According to bookmakers, the most likely result of the fight is a victory for the Briton on points – 2.00. Fury's knockout success is valued at 4.50.
Usik’s victory by judge’s decision – 3.80. Early triumph of the Ukrainian boxer – 7.50.
